Sled



oct. 30, 1923. 1,472,711

S. ZUKOWSKH SLED Filed Feb. lO 1923 F IG. l

@Hoz um? and @Patented (19st.V 3G, 1923.

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Continuation of application Serial No. 538,198, filed February 21, 10, 1923. SerialNo.- 618,31*?.

and useful Improvements in Sleds, of which y the following is a specification.

lIhe present application is the continuation of the subject matter disclosed in my copending application on sleds, filed February ai, 1922, serial No; 538,198,

The present invention relates to occupant-l steered ysleds and the primary robject thereof is the provisionof durable and efficient steering mechanism for the sleds of thisv type.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a sled constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation,

Figure 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view taken upon line yIIL-III of Fig. 1,

Figure 4 yis a bottom plan view of the front portion of the device shown in Fig; 1.

Referring more in detail to the several views, the sled embodies longitudinal upper rails 5 having forward ends 6 pivoted as at 7 for horizontal swinging movement and having its rear sectionrigidly connected by means of cross bars 8 which are suitably secured to the under faces of the rails and project beyond the outer sides of the rails 5, and braces 16 and 17 are provided with notches to accommodate said cross bars. The forward ends of the hinged rail sections 6 are pivotally attached as at 9 to the end portions of a combined steering bar and foot rest 10 which has projecting ends provided with apertures 11 `for attaching a rope for the purposes of pulling the sled. rllhe cross bars 8 support a platform 12 which extends from the rear ends of side rails 5 to a point slightly rearwardly of the forward ends ofy the sections 6 and which lies under the steering bar 10 as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4.l

A longitudinally disposed runner 13 is situated `beneath each side rail v5, and each runner includes a forward section 14. The rear ends of said forward sections 14 are pivoted to the forward ends of said runners construction.

as fat 15. Braces rigidly connect the rear endsoiv the runners 13 and side rails 5. A

rstrip of sheet metal 16 by means of fasten-` ings` driven thereto connectsthe upturned y19252. This applcatonlled February i ends of the rforward 'runner sections 14 with the rail sections 6. Said sheet metal strip is suitably formed so as to permit the passage therebeneath of the steering bar 10 as clearly seen on Fig. 2.

rIhe forward ends of the runners 13 and the forward ends of the rails 5 are rigidly connected by forward braces 17 while the rear ends ofthe forward sections 14 and the rear ends of the rail `sections 6 are likewise rigidly connected by'braces 18 of like The forward ends of braces 17 and the rear ends of `braces 18 are provided with a plurality of rigid extensions 19 varranged in staggered relations, and the eX- tensions of the rear braces mesh or interloclrV with `thev extensions .carried by the forward braces, and thus form khinges for the respective pairs of the braces. A pin 2() piif'otally connects said braces 17 and 18 passing through their respective extensions. It will be seen' that the same pin 2() pivotally connects side rails 5 with rail sections 6, and runners 13 with runner sections 14.

It will be seen that by means of the abovedescribed arrangement the forward portion of the sled, including runner sections 14, rail sections 6 and braces 1S, is adapted for horizontal swinging movement. j

Any suitable form of journal members 21 formed of sheet metal are attached to the 'the i lat-form 12 and having a rearwardly curved rearedge provided with teeth has an 4upstanding flange 24 upon its forward edge which 1s rigldly attached in any suitable manner to the under face of the steering bar 10 as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The teeth of the segment gear 23 mesh with the teeth of a third gear 25 which is suitably fixed, upon the lower endiof a steering post 26 located rearwardly of said segment gear 28 and journaled in a housing 27 which en .tends through an inclined opening in the rear portion', Va forward portion of the sled platform 12.V Y i Thehousing 27 also passesfthrough an opening inthe foot board 28 which is sup;`

ported by theplatform l2 and vforwardly inclined coverV board 29, said foot board and cover board being supported by and fastened to the upright side walls 30. The housing 27 carries a` rigidly formed thereon collar 31 being set at an incline conforming to the incline of the foot board 28, and by means of said colla-r the housing 27 is rigidly mounted upon said foot board. The steering post 26 'has a steering wheel 32 fastened uponfits vupper'. end whereby the gear V25 may be turned for shifting the segment gear 23 and ther steering bar l0 laterally and in the desired direction so as to effect steering of the sled'as is obvious. The rearward curvature of the toothed edge of the segment gear is required as the swinging movement of the runnerV sectionsbring the segment gear nearer tothe third gear 25 and Vthe sameV will be positioned when the runner sections 14 are positioned for travelling straight ahead.

While it is herein shown and described -a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made without departing from the spiritY and scope of the invention as claimed.

that is claimed as new is :nv Y

Vl. ln asled of the type described having a pivoted to vsaid rear portion, manually operable means to horizontally swing said forward'portion of the sled, and means to limit the horizontal swinging movement of Vthe forward portion of the sled, said last named meansincluding journal members carried by said rear portion and overhanging the rear Vend of said forward portion.

2.y In a sled of the type described, a rear portion of the sled including runners and side rails disposed thereabove, a forward` portion of the sled including runner sections and rail sections: disposed thereabove, saif runner sections being pivoted to said runners.y and said rail sections being pivoted to said side rails to adapt said forward portion of the sled for horizontal swinging movement,

Vmeans to horizontally swing said forward portionrof the sled, and means limiting the horizontal swinging movement of said forwardrportion of the sled in either direction,-

said last named means including journal members secured to the forward ends of said side rails having iared forward portions overhanging the rear ends of said rail s ections.

Y In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

STEFAN ZUKOVVSKI. 

